Bullet Screen Door Latch

[apackoftwo]

During my shakedown cruise I discovered how completely inadequate those plastic screen door handles are at keeping the door shut and John suggested a "Bullet" latch

Did a Goggle search and found several places to order....Here is one that was the cheapest

I am ordering one

[kanyonkitty]

That should fix your problem, Joan. Glad you are "learning" all the ins & outs of your Sunline.

You want to keep your door shut by using a better latch and I keep trying to think how I can teach the greyhounds to let themselves in & out as long as the X-Pens are up. But, a couple obstacles, they need to understand that they can't do this if the X-pens aren't up, and they must "close" the door when entering or exiting. HAHA, now wouldn't that be some neat tricks.

Kitty

[apackoftwo]

Now all I have to do to figure out how to install....I am not getting it for some reason? It's much different than the stock one I have now. Does anyone have a picture of one they installed on their screen door?

Originally Posted by kanyonkitty

That should fix your problem, Joan. Glad you are "learning" all the ins & outs of your Sunline.

You want to keep your door shut by using a better latch and I keep trying to think how I can teach the greyhounds to let themselves in & out as long as the X-Pens are up. But, a couple obstacles, they need to understand that they can't do this if the X-pens aren't up, and they must "close" the door when entering or exiting. HAHA, now wouldn't that be some neat tricks.

Kitty

[Sunline Fan]

Originally Posted by apackoftwo

Now all I have to do to figure out how to install....I am not getting it for some reason? It's much different than the stock one I have now. Does anyone have a picture of one they installed on their screen door?

I don't have any good pictures of them from my trailers, but I did change out the lever style latch to a bullet latch on the door to my room about 7 years ago. I can get you better pics of it if you need them when I get home.







On the main door, that extra screw you see is from the old latch holder, so I would have just had an extra hole there and I just filled it with that screw.

Here's a step by step:

1) unscrew two screws off old latch, remove
2) unscrew two screws holding latch catch on back of entry door (hook)
3) Install bullet latch and try to use an old hole on the screen door while having the latch line up with the black striker plate. You will probably get a new one, but you probably won't have to use it unless it's real different, and if you do, the holes should be the same.
4) Adjust bullet latch to have the angled end of the latch hit most of the door frame. I adjusted your old latch this way. If you adjust it out too far where a flat area hits, the screen door will just bounce off. But little contact will mean very little surface to catch and hold, so the door will likely bounce back after it tries to latch.
5) Add I think three extra screws to the bullet latch to secure it to screen door in that position you determined in the last step.
6) Test screen door to make sure it latches properly.
7) Open both doors all the way to the holder/stop and slide the screen door slider out of the way.
Take the extra part (big clip) from the kit and put it behind the screen door latch up against the main door, back side. The piece needs to have the hook part facing to the left, toward the door hinges.
9) With one hand, pull on the bullet latch like you're opening the door. Pull it only part way.
10) Mark the hole areas in that hook bracket with a pencil, so you can install it later. This part is tricky. The bracket not only holds the doors together, but it also keeps the latch released so it won't catch when you are using the main door lockset as a latch. It's hard to put into words, but make sure you install this clip so that it holds the latch "open" as much as possible, but where you can also still pull the latch open a little more to pull it around the clip part of that bracket. This is simple to show in person, just not so easy to write out in words.
11) When you determine just where that bracket needs to go, screw the three screws through the bracket into the door.
12) test it all to make sure the screen door doesn't catch when together with the main door. If it does, go back and re-adjust.

Then you should be all set!

[apackoftwo]

Thank you! but I think I need the pictures from your trailer! LOL!!

Originally Posted by Sunline Fan

I don't have any good pictures of them from my trailers, but I did change out the lever style latch to a bullet latch on the door to my room about 7 years ago. I can get you better pics of it if you need them when I get home.







On the main door, that extra screw you see is from the old latch holder, so I would have just had an extra hole there and I just filled it with that screw.

Here's a step by step:

1) unscrew two screws off old latch, remove
2) unscrew two screws holding latch catch on back of entry door (hook)
3) Install bullet latch and try to use an old hole on the screen door while having the latch line up with the black striker plate. You will probably get a new one, but you probably won't have to use it unless it's real different, and if you do, the holes should be the same.
4) Adjust bullet latch to have the angled end of the latch hit most of the door frame. I adjusted your old latch this way. If you adjust it out too far where a flat area hits, the screen door will just bounce off. But little contact will mean very little surface to catch and hold, so the door will likely bounce back after it tries to latch.
5) Add I think three extra screws to the bullet latch to secure it to screen door in that position you determined in the last step.
6) Test screen door to make sure it latches properly.
7) Open both doors all the way to the holder/stop and slide the screen door slider out of the way.
Take the extra part (big clip) from the kit and put it behind the screen door latch up against the main door, back side. The piece needs to have the hook part facing to the left, toward the door hinges.
9) With one hand, pull on the bullet latch like you're opening the door. Pull it only part way.
10) Mark the hole areas in that hook bracket with a pencil, so you can install it later. This part is tricky. The bracket not only holds the doors together, but it also keeps the latch released so it won't catch when you are using the main door lockset as a latch. It's hard to put into words, but make sure you install this clip so that it holds the latch "open" as much as possible, but where you can also still pull the latch open a little more to pull it around the clip part of that bracket. This is simple to show in person, just not so easy to write out in words.
11) When you determine just where that bracket needs to go, screw the three screws through the bracket into the door.
12) test it all to make sure the screen door doesn't catch when together with the main door. If it does, go back and re-adjust.

Then you should be all set!